For a show about waking the dead and solving mysteries, there sure was a lot of romance on Pushing Daisies. However, not only were the girl called Chuck and the Pie Maker in a star-crossed relationship, never forget that Kristin Chenoweth's character Olive loved Ned on Pushing Daisies too. And her unrequited crush was one of the most relatable parts of the ABC series.
Olive Snook worked at the Pie Hole with Ned, and was harboring a major workplace crush on her boss before Chuck came into the picture. The sweet girl that her beloved was clearly into but never touched sent all of those regular unrequited feelings into haywire. Still, Olive's feelings were never treated as the a punchline. Sure, there were sad moments and funny moments, but her character was taken seriously. In fact, they did explore the relationship later on on the series and Olive got the closure she so desperately needed and deserved. She also befriended Chuck, and any weirdness between them was dealt with head-on.
All in all, Olive is (a sometimes heightened version of) you and me when we've caught the bug for someone. Here are some ways that Olive totally gets it, even if she doesn't get Ned.
1. She's Less Than Subtle
Hey, it could work?
2. Her Frustration Gets Violent
Olive has zero chill and that's what I love most about her.
3. Nobody Can Talk Her Down
Everyone's crushed on someone that somebody thought they shouldn't, and nothing that somebody can say makes a difference.
4. Her Attempts To Move On Fail
Olive joined a convent to avoid all the secrets she was keeping and try to kick her Ned habit (get it) in the process. Newsflash: it didn't work.
5. She's Oblivious To Those Who Like Her
"I would love you in any way that I could. And if we could not touch, then I would draw strength from your beauty. And if I went blind, then I would fill my soul with the sound of your voice and the content of your heart until the last spark of my love for you lit the shabby darkness of my mind.""Eh, forget it."
Those love goggles are pretty powerful.
6. She Tries To Force A Cute Moment
Silly me, I dropped my books in front of you again. I'm just... so... clumsy. Weird. Let me take off my glasses one more time and see what that does.
7. She Wants To Explode
Same.
8. She Gets Way Philosophical
"Of course, that would be a different universe, and something else would probably suck."
9. She Takes What She Can Get
Poor Olive.
10. She's Prone To Musical Moments
Maybe for you it's subtweeting emo lyrics, or belting some Adele in the shower. Olive stages full song and dance numbers when Ned's got her feeling blue.
11. She Can Get Dramatic
One time I asked a guy friend, who was still hung up on his ex, if he was waiting for this girl to go on a trip so he could rush to the airport and try to stop her. He said that would be perfect.
12. She's Self-Aware
No use denying it. Olive never hides her feelings for Ned and how they affect her.
13. Her Jealousy Has A Fantasy Life
Early on in Season 1, Olive tortures herself by imagining what Ned and Chuck are up to when she's not around. I bet we can all relate to that.
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